Article IV — Rates

The City Council may, by resolution, establish a limit on the rates that collectors may charge to residential householders or owners and to commercial/industrial business owners for the collection of solid waste and recyclables. No collector shall charge any rate or fee which is greater or less than the permissible maximum or minimum rate established by the City Council, unless otherwise authorized in this chapter. The City Council may establish a lower cap on the rates for solid waste and recyclables collection service, as well as for administrative charges and penalties, for residential premises occupied by a senior citizen or a handicapped or disabled resident. The criteria for qualification, rate structure for such residences and application procedure shall be approved by the City Manager.

(Prior code § 14-4.13; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1483 § 2, 1998; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. Every commercial/industrial business owner and residential owner shall pay the rates, fees and charges established from time to time by the collector and authorized by the City Council for collection services rendered pursuant to this chapter in the manner set forth in this Section 8.48.160.

• B. The billing and collection of the rates, fees and charges authorized by the City Council for solid waste and recyclables collection services shall be the responsibility of the collector, and the City shall have no liability or responsibility for billing and collection.

• C. The City Council shall be authorized to establish, by resolution, administrative charges and penalties for the collection of delinquent rates, fees and charges for solid waste and recyclables collection services.

• D. The City may collect delinquent fees for residential solid waste and recyclables collection services by causing the delinquent fees to be placed on the Los Angeles County tax rolls through procedures established by the Los Angeles County Tax Collector, in accordance with procedures established by the City Council by resolution.

• E. The collection of rates, fees and charges, and any related penalties, authorized by this chapter may be enforced by the City through the tax roll assessment process noted in this chapter, or in any other lawful manner provided by the laws of the State of California.

• (Prior code § 14-4.14; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1483 § 3, 1998; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA § 8.48.170

HEALTH AND SAFETY

§ 8.48.190

Article V Vehicles

No person may operate any vehicle for the collection of solid waste or recyclables other than a collector who has a valid business license and solid waste collection collector agreement or permit and who has paid all required license, collector agreement, permit or other City charges. Each vehicle used by the collector shall have an identification number printed or painted in legible numbers not less than five inches in height in plain sight from four directions. (Prior code § 14-4.15; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Any vehicle utilized for the collection, transportation or disposal of solid waste and/or recyclables shall comply with the following standards:

• A. Each vehicle shall be constructed and used so that no solid waste, oil, grease, or other substance will blow, fall or leak out of the vehicle.

• B. A broom and shovel shall be carried on each vehicle at all times.

• C. Each vehicle shall comply with all applicable statutes, laws or ordinances of any public agency.

• D. Each vehicle shall be operated and maintained in a like new condition to meet the service needs of the City.

• E. All vehicle inspections required by State or Federal law shall be conducted, and all inspection reports and certificates issued from inspections shall be filed within 45 days of receipt of the contractor.

• F. All vehicles shall at all times be kept clean and sanitary, in good repair and well and uniformly painted.

• G. The collector's name or firm name and telephone number shall be printed or painted in legible letters not less than five inches in height on both sides of all of collector's vehicles used in the City.

• H. High intensity fog lamps shall be maintained on any vehicle 80 inches or wider, which shall consist of two red tail lamps in addition to the standard tail lamps. The fog lamps shall be used when visibility is less than 50 feet.

• I. All equipment shall be maintained at all times in a manner to prevent unnecessary noise during its operation.

• J. Collector will keep the City Manager informed of any replacement of any existing equipment.

(Prior code § 14-4.16; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

All persons operating solid waste collection and transportation equipment shall do so in

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City of Norwalk, CA

HEALTH AND SAFETY

§ 8.48.190

§ 8.48.200

compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local laws and ordinances. Such vehicles shall not be operated in a manner which results in undue interference with normal traffic flows. No such vehicle shall be parked or left unattended on the public streets. No such vehicle shall be parked overnight on a public street or thoroughfare in the City. (Prior code § 14-4.17; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Any vehicle used in the collection or transportation of solid waste in the City shall, at all times, be maintained in accordance with all the standards set forth in Section 8.48.180 of this chapter. The use of a vehicle which fails to comply with each of the standards set forth in Section 8.48.180 is prohibited. A collector shall immediately remove any vehicle from collection service which fails, at any time, to conform to any of the standards recited in Section 8.48.180 and shall not use that vehicle until it is repaired. Should the City Manager give notification at any time to a collector that any of the collector's vehicles is not in compliance with the standards of this chapter, the vehicle shall be immediately removed from service by the collector. The vehicle shall not again be utilized in the City until it has been inspected and approved by the City Manager. The collector shall maintain its regular collection schedule regardless of the repair of any vehicle.

(Prior code § 14-4.18; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA

HEALTH AND SAFETY

§ 8.48.210

§ 8.48.230

Article VI Exclusions

No provision of this chapter shall prevent a residential householder from collecting and disposing of occasional loads of solid waste generated in or on his or her residential premises, or from composting green waste, or from selling, donating or disposing of recyclables generated in or on his or her residential premises. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no residential householder shall employ or engage any solid waste enterprise, other than the collector, to haul or transport solid waste or recyclables to a transfer station, material recovery facility, landfill, or other waste processing or disposal facility; nor shall any residential householder collect or dispose of solid waste generated elsewhere than in or on his or her residential premises.

(Prior code § 14-4.19; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1483 § 4, 1998; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No provisions of this chapter shall prevent a gardener, tree trimmer or person engaged in a similar trade from collecting and disposing of grass cuttings, prunings, and similar material not containing other solid waste when incidental to providing such gardening, tree trimming or similar services.

(Prior code § 14-4.20; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. Source Separated Recyclables.

  1. No provision of this chapter shall prevent a commercial/industrial business owner from selling to a buyer, for a monetary or other valuable consideration, any source separated recyclables, including without limitation, any saleable scrap, discard, reject, by-product, ferrous or nonferrous metal, worn-out or defective part, junk, pallet, packaging material, paper or other similar item generated in, on or by a commercial/ industrial premises or business, and no longer useful to such commercial/ industrial business but having market value, whether such buyer is a recycler, junk dealer, or other enterprise engaged in the business of buying and marketing such materials in the stream of commerce; provided, however, that such buyer is not engaged in the business of collecting solid waste for a fee or other charge or consideration, and that no such materials are transported for disposition to a landfill or transfer station (as defined in Public Resources Code Section 40200). Source separated recyclables means recyclables separated on the commercial/industrial premises from solid waste for the purpose of sale, not mixed with or containing more than incidental or minimal solid waste, and having a market value.

  2. No provision of this chapter shall prevent a recycler, junk dealer or other enterprise engaged in the business of buying and marketing such materials in the stream of commerce and which is not engaged in the business of collecting solid waste or providing solid waste collection services for a fee or other charge, or consideration, from buying any materials referenced in this subsection A for a monetary or other valuable consideration, and which buys such materials for marketing and not for disposition in a landfill or transfer station (as defined in Public Resources Code Section 40200); nor shall any provision of this chapter prevent such recycler, junk

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City of Norwalk, CA

HEALTH AND SAFETY

§ 8.48.230

§ 8.48.260

dealer or enterprise which buys such materials from removing and transporting such materials to a destination for marketing in the stream of commerce. No such buyer shall buy or transport such materials without prior authorization from the City, as required by this Code, whether in the form of a business license, a business permit or a nonexclusive contract agreement.

• B. Renovation, Rebuilding, Repairs. No provision of this chapter shall prevent a commercial/ industrial business owner from arranging for any worn, spent or defective equipment or part, used in such commercial/industrial business and requiring renovation, rebuilding, recharging, regeneration or repair, to be picked up, renovated, rebuilt, recharged, regenerated or otherwise restored and repaired and returned to such commercial/industrial business owner; nor shall any provision of this chapter prevent any person engaged in the business of renovating, rebuilding, recharging, regenerating, or otherwise restoring or repairing such equipment or part, from transporting the same from or returning it to the commercial/industrial business, or from removing, transporting or disposing of any such equipment or part, replaced in connection with an equipment repair or service contract.

• (Prior code § 14-4.21; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No provision of this chapter shall prevent a licensed contractor having a contract for the demolition or reconstruction of a building, structure, pavement or concrete installation from marketing any saleable items salvaged from such demolition or reconstruction, or from causing such salvageable items or demolition waste to be removed and transported from the premises on which such waste is generated; pursuant to the provisions of the demolition or construction contract; provided, however, that if a subcontractor is to be engaged to remove such demolition waste, the exclusive contract collector shall have the right of first refusal to provide such services. If the exclusive contract collector cannot guarantee that such services will be provided within a period of 24 hours, then the City Manager may authorize the licensed contractor or the owner of the premises to utilize the services of another duly authorized solid waste enterprise. (Prior code § 14-4.22; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No provision of this chapter shall prevent any person engaged in the business of destroying or disposing of secret, confidential or sensitive documents from transporting or disposing of such documents by shredding, lumping, incinerating, or other means, as a part of such document destruction or disposal service.

(Prior code § 14-4.23; Ord. 1450 § 1, 1996; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

In addition to the authority granted by Section 8.48.210, nothing in this chapter shall prevent a commercial/industrial business owner or residential householder from, on a regular basis, collecting and disposing of solid waste generated in or on their premises, in lieu of availing themselves of the services of the authorized collector. No residential householder or commercial/ industrial business owner shall employ or engage any solid waste enterprise, other than the collector, to haul or transport such materials to a transfer station, material recovery facility, landfill, or other waste processing or disposal facility. Any residential householder or commercial/industrial business owner who pursuant to this section seeks to on a regular basis

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City of Norwalk, CA

NORWALK CODE

§ 8.48.260

§ 8.48.270

collect and dispose of solid waste generated in or on their premises, must first obtain a self-haul/ back-haul permit from the City, and must comply with procedures for self-hauling/back-hauling established by the City.

(Ord. 1483 § 5, 1998; Ord. 21-1722 § 2; Ord. 25-1759, 9/16/2025)

In all cases where the right to an exclusion pursuant to this chapter is exercised, disposal shall be made at a transfer station, material recovery facility, landfill, or other waste processing or disposal facility which meets all applicable regulatory requirements. Any such disposal by a person exempted under this chapter shall not relieve such person from any obligation or liability imposed by this chapter or any other City ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation for the payment of the solid waste and recyclables collection fees charged by the collector, or of payment of any other applicable rates or fees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shall be exempt from the payment of the solid waste collection rates imposed for use of the services provided by a collector: (A) any person with a valid self-haul/back-haul permit obtained pursuant to Section 8.48.260 who does not use the solid waste or recyclables collection services offered by a collector; and (B) any owner of vacant property who does not use the solid waste or recyclables collection services offered by a collector, for the period of time the property is vacant. For purposes of this Section 8.48.270, vacant property means any real property in the City which, for a period of 30 days or longer, shows no activity on the water meter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any person with a valid self-haul/back-haul permit who does not use the solid waste collection services offered by a collector, but who does use the recyclables collection services offered by a collector, must pay the applicable rates and charges for such recyclables collection services.

(Ord. 1483 § 5, 1998; Ord. 21-1722 § 2; Ord. 25-1759, 9/16/2025)

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City of Norwalk, CA

HEALTH AND SAFETY

§ 8.48.280

§ 8.48.310